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If Maryland wins NIT

I remember the last time that happened. In 1972, the NIT was far more significant with only 32(?) teams in the NCAA tourney. The Terps were a young, up-and-coming team under Lefty Driesel - with players in the All-American class like Tom McMillan (Rhodes scholar) and Len Elmore (Harvard(?) law graduate). That was their first big step to becoming a national power - culminating in 1974 when they were in the top three in the country, along with UCLA and NC State.

The current set of Terps remind me of them - although probably not nearly as good. The first win over Duke was a surprise. But it was a golden opportunity for UM since it was Duke's third game that week and on the road and without arguably their best player. The second win over Duke was a SHOCK to me. They were at full strength, rested and looking for revenge. I figured the Terps to lose by at least 20 points.

If Maryland wins the NIT and IF Duke had won the NCAA's, you could argue (although stretching it a bit) that the Terps were the best team in the country, given their TWO victories over the Blue Devils (no one else accomplished that).

Re: If Maryland wins NIT

If the Terps were even close to being the best team in the country, they would have at least made the tournament.

Beating Duke was impressive, but that logic is like saying the Redskins were the better team last season since they beat the Ravens. It doesn't compute.

And excuse me while I try not to hurt myself as I pat myself on the back, but I got murdered on these boards for suggesting the Terps go after Jim Larranaga instead of Turg when there was a vacancy. I'd say he's done far much more and with less than Turg.

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Re: If Maryland wins NIT

If the Terps were even close to being the best team in the country, they would have at least made the tournament.

Beating Duke was impressive, but that logic is like saying the Redskins were the better team last season since they beat the Ravens. It doesn't compute.

And excuse me while I try not to hurt myself as I pat myself on the back, but I got murdered on these boards for suggesting the Terps go after Jim Larranaga instead of Turg when there was a vacancy. I'd say he's done far much more and with less than Turg.

Larranaga is a great coach, but it's an out-and-out lie to say he has done more with less. Miami had a roster with 5 seniors, 1 junior, and 1 of the best underclassmen (and overall players) in the country in Shane Larkin. Larranaga took over a team with a lot of talent in that 2009 recruiting class and rode out their senior year in great fashion. He did a good job and I'd never bad mouth him as he's one of my favorite coaches in any sport, but that team absolutely should've been top-3 in the ACC this year.

Turgeon took over in 2011 (less than 2 full years ago) and has completed almost a complete roster turnover in that time (Padgett + Howard are the only 2 GW recruits left - Faust was a GW recruit who de-committed and then re-committed to Turgeon). Gary Williams left a roster absolutely devoid of talent. Maryland's key players this year are 4 freshman, 3 sophomores, 1 junior coming off 2 major injuries, 1 senior mediocre bench player, and 1 grad student transfer from a mid-major. It took them almost the full season to get it together but over the past 3 weeks we've seen how incredibly athletic and talented their roster is.

I'd be willing to bet that Maryland's 2015-16 season will be just as good, if not better, than Miami's 2012-13 season when Chuck, Shaq, Layman, and Allen are seniors, Roddy Peters is a junior, and some combo of Romelo Trimble (already committed), Dion Wiley, Rashad Vaughn, Goodluck Okonoboh, Abdul-Malik Abu, and Obi Enechionyia are sophomores.

Re: If Maryland wins NIT

Originally Posted by Corvus Corax

I remember the last time that happened. In 1972, the NIT was far more significant with only 32(?) teams in the NCAA tourney. The Terps were a young, up-and-coming team under Lefty Driesel - with players in the All-American class like Tom McMillan (Rhodes scholar) and Len Elmore (Harvard(?) law graduate). That was their first big step to becoming a national power - culminating in 1974 when they were in the top three in the country, along with UCLA and NC State.

The current set of Terps remind me of them - although probably not nearly as good. The first win over Duke was a surprise. But it was a golden opportunity for UM since it was Duke's third game that week and on the road and without arguably their best player. The second win over Duke was a SHOCK to me. They were at full strength, rested and looking for revenge. I figured the Terps to lose by at least 20 points.

If Maryland wins the NIT and IF Duke had won the NCAA's, you could argue (although stretching it a bit) that the Terps were the best team in the country, given their TWO victories over the Blue Devils (no one else accomplished that).

If anything it's an indictment on Maryland. The irony of beating Duke twice in one season yet still not getting into the tournament speaks volumes about how inconsistent this team really is. Not a having a true point guard on the roster has been a big achilles heel for this team. Hopefully that changes next year. And they really need to toughen up their non conference schedule. This year's was pathetic but no fault of Turgeon since these games were already penciled in prior to his arrival.

Re: If Maryland wins NIT

Larranaga is a great coach, but it's an out-and-out lie to say he has done more with less.

Curious. Please tell me how an opinion can be a "lie".

Originally Posted by mfdoom42

Miami had a roster with 5 seniors, 1 junior, and 1 of the best underclassmen (and overall players) in the country in Shane Larkin. Larranaga took over a team with a lot of talent in that 2009 recruiting class and rode out their senior year in great fashion. He did a good job and I'd never bad mouth him as he's one of my favorite coaches in any sport, but that team absolutely should've been top-3 in the ACC this year.

They went 9-7 his first year and got bounced in the 2nd round of the NIT. Hardly a situation of him taking over a "team with a lot of talent". Simply having seniors is not a guarantee for success. I give you Larkin, but that was it. And now he's taken basically the same team and gone to the sweet sixteen. I'd say that has more to do with coaching than the talent.

Originally Posted by mfdoom42

Turgeon took over in 2011 (less than 2 full years ago) and has completed a 100% roster turnover in that time (Padgett is the only remaining GW recruit and has 1-2 games remaining in his college career - Faust was a GW recruit who de-committed and then re-committed to Turgeon). Maryland's key players this year are 4 freshman, 3 sophomores, 1 junior coming off 2 major injuries, 1 senior mediocre bench player, and 1 grad student transfer from a mid-major. It took them almost the full season to get it together but over the past 3 weeks we've seen how incredibly athletic and talented their roster is.

I am not slamming MD. Its my Alma Mater. But, IMO, you can't tell me Turg has been a better coach than Larranaga thus far. Proof is in the records, especially considering both, up till now, play together in the ACC. One coach won the ACC this year. The other, did not, and had arguably better recruits this year. Heck, even Turg himself has said publicly he cannot get through to this group of kids sometimes. That doesn't inspire much confidence in ones coaching abilities if you ask me.

Originally Posted by mfdoom42

I'd be willing to bet that Maryland's 2015-16 season will be just as good, if not better, than Miami's 2012-13 season when Chuck, Shaq, Layman, and Allen are seniors, Roddy Peters is a junior, and some combo of Romelo Trimble (already committed), Dion Wiley, Rashad Vaughn, Goodluck Okonoboh, Abdul-Malik Abu, and Obi Enechionyia are sophomores.

How is it possible to compare a team in the future to another schools teams in the past? And how is that even relevant to the discussion? What does that prove?

WARNING: This post may contain material offensive to those who lack wit, humor, common sense and/or supporting factual or anecdotal evidence. All statements and assertions contained herein may be subject to literary devices not limited to: irony, metaphor, allusion and dripping sarcasm.

Re: If Maryland wins NIT

Overall this year college basketball is --imho-- one of the worst I have ever seen played. The first two rounds of the NCAA had just so many bad games played by bad teams. The fundamentals of the game truly are gone. So many teams their offense is to run down the court and put up a three or look for the dunk, this tourney has been painful to watch and not just the Louisville game Sunday night. As far as Maryland I do hope Alex Len goes pro, because I do not think I could take another season of his up and down play.

Re: If Maryland wins NIT

Terps are young and inconsistent. That's all you can really say. They lack a true PG, that gets fixed next year with Peters.

You can't blame Len for going pro if he does. He's being projected as a top five pick(honestly I don't see how such an inconsistent player warrants that). If Len were to stay and develop though, the Terps would be a final four threat in the next two years. They might be anyway, as I expect some of Turg's big men to really start to develop once the worthless Padgett is out of the way.

Re: If Maryland wins NIT

Originally Posted by Corvus Corax

I remember the last time that happened. In 1972, the NIT was far more significant with only 32(?) teams in the NCAA tourney. The Terps were a young, up-and-coming team under Lefty Driesel - with players in the All-American class like Tom McMillan (Rhodes scholar) and Len Elmore (Harvard(?) law graduate). That was their first big step to becoming a national power - culminating in 1974 when they were in the top three in the country, along with UCLA and NC State.

The current set of Terps remind me of them - although probably not nearly as good. The first win over Duke was a surprise. But it was a golden opportunity for UM since it was Duke's third game that week and on the road and without arguably their best player. The second win over Duke was a SHOCK to me. They were at full strength, rested and looking for revenge. I figured the Terps to lose by at least 20 points.

If Maryland wins the NIT and IF Duke had won the NCAA's, you could argue (although stretching it a bit) that the Terps were the best team in the country, given their TWO victories over the Blue Devils (no one else accomplished that).

Here is what no one else has accomplished in a long time.... beating Duke twice in the same season and NOT making to the Big Dance in the same season... quite an accomplishment.

Re: If Maryland wins NIT

Duke was demolished by Louisville so the point is moot anyway. The NIT is a complete joke. No one cares about it. All winning the NIT means is that you are better than the other also-rans. I realize it was different 40 years ago but so were a lot of things. Here in the present it just doesn't matter.

Re: If Maryland wins NIT

Originally Posted by GOTA

Duke was demolished by Louisville so the point is moot anyway. The NIT is a complete joke. No one cares about it. All winning the NIT means is that you are better than the other also-rans. I realize it was different 40 years ago but so were a lot of things. Here in the present it just doesn't matter.

I think a complete joke is a little much. the NCAA tourney selection is flawed. Each year, there are teams that make it that should not and there are teams that should have made it that didn't.

Had Maryland won either game after beat duke each time, they would have been in.